 | WELCOME HOME Texas Brides of Pike's Run Series Book 1 Historical Western Romance Emma Prescott, determined and selfless, flees from wealth and her murderous father, wanting the love and forgiveness of poor cotton farmer, Kyle Lonnigan. Although Kyle refuses to forgive her for her part in his father’s death, Emma stays and works her own farm. Over the next several months, Emma proves to Kyle she is not the spoiled girl he remembers. Emma’s sudden re-entrance into Kyle’s life only conjures long-buried painful memories. Kyle does his best to avoid her, needing to keep the pain at bay, and stopping her from reminding him of their last moments together before bullets shattered their world. But, he is unsuccessful. The love he denies is too strong, and soon Emma and Kyle are tumbling headlong into the past and passion. PURCHASE WELCOME HOME |
WELCOME HOME
Taking a deep breath, Emma stepped onto Kyle’s land without an invitation. “Hello, Kyle.”
Her tone wasn’t nearly as confident as she hoped her expression was. He hadn’t moved. He looked at her, saying nothing, his hands still gripping the handles of the plow.
Refusing to squirm under his scrutiny, she continued, but with a tremble in her voice. “You…you have a pretty place. It’s exactly as I pictured it, or maybe your mother was just very good at painting the image.”
With shaky hands, she smoothed the front of her skirt, feeling foolish for putting care into her appearance this morning. The rage in his stare proved she could’ve worn a potato sack, and he wouldn’t have noticed.
Nodding at the furrows, she said, “You’ve already started plowing, I see. I’m glad you were able to buy back your father’s land. I always—”
“What are you doing here?” he said, steal in his tone.
She suppressed a shiver and clenched her fists, not allowing his anger to deter her. “I wanted to see you,” she stated firmly.
His eyes blazed. “What the hell would make you think I’d want to see you?”
Unable to defend her uninvited appearance, she pressed on. “I have some things I need to say to you.” She gave him a smile, hoping it might soften him some, though her mouth shook. “Could we sit?”
His brow lifted. “You aren’t serious?” he scoffed. “It’ll be a cold day in Hell before I sit beside you, Emma Prescott.”
“Kyle, I have so much to say,” she tried, jutting out her chin in a show of false confidence, because she was certainly feeling anything but.
He shook his head and slapped the reins, setting the mule in motion. “I’ve got no intention of listening. You’ve got two seconds to leave, or I’ll throw you off my land.”
Alarm sparked within her. Was he serious? She’d known he’d be angry, but…
Her stomach dipped with anxiety. Desperate for forgiveness for her part in his apparent pain, she had to try again. Choosing to continue despite his fury, she held her head high and marched toward him.
She stopped at the edge of his neatly plowed rows. “I’ve come a long way to apologize to you. I need to make things right between us. I don’t deserve your time, that’s true, but I’ve spent two years trying to get here, and I can’t let my guilt or your pain stop me.”
Jerking hard on the reins, Kyle stopped no more than three feet from her.
Swallowing convulsively at the hard, enraged glint in his eyes, she forced herself to remain steady.
“Still so high and mighty, huh?” he sneered. “Still expectin’ the world to fall at your feet, are you?” He unhooked the reins from around his shoulders and walked menacingly toward her.
She backed up but wasn’t fast enough. He seized her elbow, and though there was nothing but pain and anger in his hold, fire shot through her blood at his touch.
“I don’t want you here, Emma,” he growled through clenched teeth. Looming over her, he said, “Your father ruined my life, and you helped him do it. I’ll make a deal with Satan before I give you a second more of my time.”
Taking a deep breath, Emma stepped onto Kyle’s land without an invitation. “Hello, Kyle.”
Her tone wasn’t nearly as confident as she hoped her expression was. He hadn’t moved. He looked at her, saying nothing, his hands still gripping the handles of the plow.
Refusing to squirm under his scrutiny, she continued, but with a tremble in her voice. “You…you have a pretty place. It’s exactly as I pictured it, or maybe your mother was just very good at painting the image.”
With shaky hands, she smoothed the front of her skirt, feeling foolish for putting care into her appearance this morning. The rage in his stare proved she could’ve worn a potato sack, and he wouldn’t have noticed.
Nodding at the furrows, she said, “You’ve already started plowing, I see. I’m glad you were able to buy back your father’s land. I always—”
“What are you doing here?” he said, steal in his tone.
She suppressed a shiver and clenched her fists, not allowing his anger to deter her. “I wanted to see you,” she stated firmly.
His eyes blazed. “What the hell would make you think I’d want to see you?”
Unable to defend her uninvited appearance, she pressed on. “I have some things I need to say to you.” She gave him a smile, hoping it might soften him some, though her mouth shook. “Could we sit?”
His brow lifted. “You aren’t serious?” he scoffed. “It’ll be a cold day in Hell before I sit beside you, Emma Prescott.”
“Kyle, I have so much to say,” she tried, jutting out her chin in a show of false confidence, because she was certainly feeling anything but.
He shook his head and slapped the reins, setting the mule in motion. “I’ve got no intention of listening. You’ve got two seconds to leave, or I’ll throw you off my land.”
Alarm sparked within her. Was he serious? She’d known he’d be angry, but…
Her stomach dipped with anxiety. Desperate for forgiveness for her part in his apparent pain, she had to try again. Choosing to continue despite his fury, she held her head high and marched toward him.
She stopped at the edge of his neatly plowed rows. “I’ve come a long way to apologize to you. I need to make things right between us. I don’t deserve your time, that’s true, but I’ve spent two years trying to get here, and I can’t let my guilt or your pain stop me.”
Jerking hard on the reins, Kyle stopped no more than three feet from her.
Swallowing convulsively at the hard, enraged glint in his eyes, she forced herself to remain steady.
“Still so high and mighty, huh?” he sneered. “Still expectin’ the world to fall at your feet, are you?” He unhooked the reins from around his shoulders and walked menacingly toward her.
She backed up but wasn’t fast enough. He seized her elbow, and though there was nothing but pain and anger in his hold, fire shot through her blood at his touch.
“I don’t want you here, Emma,” he growled through clenched teeth. Looming over her, he said, “Your father ruined my life, and you helped him do it. I’ll make a deal with Satan before I give you a second more of my time.”
REVIEWS FOR WELCOME HOME
"This book was so good, I just had to leave a review. The storyline had a different theme to it which made it intriguing. I loved all the characters, especially the h/h. There was hardship, suspense and romance throughout. I couldn't put it down! Mrs. O'Neal is a gifted writer and storyteller. I'll definitely be reading more. I hope the rest are as good as this one was!"
-- Amazon Reviewer
"Kara has a gift for creating realistic conflict that keeps you turning the pages! Kara's characters are well-defined and you feel like you know them. Emma and Kyle both have their weaknesses, they're not flat, stock characters. But, despite that, I was rooting for them from the get-go. (And yes, I got a little teary at the end.) I also loved all of the other people of Pike's Run and can't wait to see what Kara has planned for them! (I saw Conner is in the next one and I am excited because I loved him!) Her plotting is intricately designed and, even though I've read a lot of romances, I could rarely predict what would happen next and was therefore pleasantly surprised time and again."
-- Bookbub Reviewer
-- Amazon Reviewer
"Kara has a gift for creating realistic conflict that keeps you turning the pages! Kara's characters are well-defined and you feel like you know them. Emma and Kyle both have their weaknesses, they're not flat, stock characters. But, despite that, I was rooting for them from the get-go. (And yes, I got a little teary at the end.) I also loved all of the other people of Pike's Run and can't wait to see what Kara has planned for them! (I saw Conner is in the next one and I am excited because I loved him!) Her plotting is intricately designed and, even though I've read a lot of romances, I could rarely predict what would happen next and was therefore pleasantly surprised time and again."
-- Bookbub Reviewer
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